Wire feeding apparatus



April 21, 1959 H. LQLOUDEN' WIRE FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 5, 1955 In vesn kov. Harvg L. Louden, b9

H is at WE FEEDING APPARATUS Harry L. Louden, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application December 5, 1955, Serial No. 551,096

4 Claims. (Cl. 214-4) This invention rel-ates to apparatus for feeding lead-in conductors or wires for electric lamps or similar devices and more particularly to apparatus for feeding such conductors or wires to a machine for making lamp stems or to a machine for sealing the conductors into a lamp envelope.

The lead-in conductors or wires used in certain types of glow lamps are composed of a relatively small diameter wire portion which is sealed through the stem press of the lamp and a larger diameter pin portion which is located within the envelope of the lamp and serves as one of the lamp electrodes. The two parts of the lead-in conductor are butt welded together in end-to-end relation to form a composite lead-in conductor.

The customary procedure employed for sealing such pin type lead-in conductors in the stem press of the lamp requires the lead-in conductors to be fed to the stemmaking machine, and to be held therein in a vertical position with their pin ends uppermost. However, the conventional type wire feeding mechanisms in common use at present in the lamp making art for feeding leadingin wires to the work-holding heads of lamp stem-making machines will not operate satisfactorily to feed pin-type lead-in conductors to the stem-making machine in a vertical, pin-end up position. Such conventional type wire feeding mechanisms comprise a pair of wire pick-up and transfer jaws which pick up the wires one at a time from an inclined hopper 'and release them into a discharge chute which discharges the wires into a vertical guide tube which, in turn, guides the wires into the work-holding head of the stem-making machine. During each wire feeding cycle of the mechanism, the wire-storage hopper is moved up and down to alternately bring the supply of lead-in wires up against the wire pick-up and transfer jaws. Because of the inclined arrangement of the wirestorage hopper and the recurrent up and down move- .ments thereof, satisfactory operation of the feeding mechanism to pick up pin-type lead-in conductors one at a time from the storage hopper and release them into the delivery chute requires that the conductors be placed in the storage hopper with their pin ends lowermost, otherwise tangling of the pin-type conductors will occur in the storage hopper. As 'a consequence, and because the conventional type wire feeders operate to feed and deliver the wires into the work-holding heads of the stem-making machines in the same vertically oriented position which the Wires I possess in the storage hopper, the pin-type conductors would then be delivered to the head of the stem-making machine in a pin-end down position instead of the required pin-end up position. As presently constructed, therefore, the conventional type wire-feeding mechanism in use at present is not adapted to the feeding of pin-type lead-in conductors to the work-holding heads of stem-making machines in a vertical pin-end up position.

It is one object of my invention, therefore, to provide apparatus which will effectively operate to automatically feed pin-type lead-in conductors in pin-end up position into a work-holding head of 'a lamp stem-making machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide wire-feed-' ing apparatus arranged to deliver lead-in wires to the work-holding heads of a lamp stem-making machine in a vertical position inverted from that occupied by the leadin wires in the wire-storage hopper of the apparatus.

Still another object of my invention is to provide apparatus for feeding individual lead-in wires from a pile thereof in a storage hopper to a holder for the wires and having means for inverting the wires from the position occupied thereby in the storage hopper and delivering the wires to the holder in such inverted position.

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of my invention, a conventional type lamp leading-in wire feed ing mechanism is adapted to the feeding of pin-type leadin conductors in pin-end up position to the work-holding head of a lamp stem-making machine by the incorporation in the feeding mechanism of a conductor-inverting means interposed between the lower discharge end of the delivery chute of the feeding mechanism and the upper end of the vertical guide tube thereof which directs the conductors to the work-holding heads of the stem-making machine, the inverting means being operated in proper time relation to the operation of the other wire-feeding parts of the feeding mechanism and to the operation of the stem-making machine. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the Wire inverting means comprises a pivoted chute or boat which is pivoted between an upper position in which it receives the lead-in conductors from the conductor delivery chute and a lower downwardly-inclined position in which it discharges the leadin conductor into the upper end of the vertical guide tube which then directs the conductor into the work-holding head of the stem-making machine.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following detailed description of a species thereof and from the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the wire-feeding apparatus comprising my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the lead-in conductor storage hopper in section and the conductor pick-up means in position for releasing a conductor into the discharge chute of the feeding apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the conductor inverting mechanism of my invention and the associated conductor delivery chute and guide tube, the conductor inverting mechanism being shown in its conductor-discharging position, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the apparatus showing a modified form of actuating means for the lead-in conductor storage hopper.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is therein shown as embodied in a lead-in conductor feeding mechanism of the general type disclosed in U.S. Patent 2,042,520 Flaws et al., and comprising in general a storage hopper ll containing a supply of the lead-in conductors 2, conductor pick-up jaws 3, 4 for picking up the conductors 2 one at a time out of the hopper 1 and releasing them into a steeply inclined stationary delivery chute 5, and a vertically movable guide tube 6, located below the discharge end of the delivery chute 5 and arranged to receive the conductors from the lower end of the delivery chute and guide them into the conductor-receiving pockets or apertures in one of the work-holding heads 7 on the turret (not shown) of a conventional type lamp stem-making machine. As shown in Fig. 1, the conductor storage hopper 1 is mounted in an inclined position for holding a supply of the lead-in conductors 2 in a corresponding inclined position, and the conductor pick-up jaws 3, 4 are arranged to reciprocate in a corresponding inclined path of travel between a lower position, in which the jaws pick up one of the conductors 2 in the storage hopper 1, and an upper conductor-releasing position in 'which the jaws release the conductor 2 into the upper end of the delivery chute 5. To this end, the conductor pick-up jaws 3, 4 are mounted on a slide member 8 which is slidably mounted on a pair of parallel support or guide rods 9, 10 which are supported on the frame 11 of the stem-making machine in an inclined position corresponding to the inclination of the lead-in conductors 2 in the storage hopper 1 at the time of their pick-up by the jaws 3, 4. The slide member 8 is reciprocated on the support rods 9, 10, to alternately move the jaws 3, 4 between their lower or conductor pick-up position, and their upper or conductor-releasing position as shown in Fig. l, by means of a chain 12 which is connected at its opposite ends to the upper and lower ends of the slide member 8 and passes around an upper sprocket 13 and a lower sprocket 13 (Fig. 4) respectively located at the upper and lower ends of the guide rods 9,, 10. The connection of the chain 12 to the slide member 8 is through a spring-loaded rod 8 slidably mounted in the slide member 8 to allow a small amount of overtravel of the chain 12 after the slide member and associated conductor pick-up jaws .3, 4 have been carried downwardly to their conductor pick-up position as determined by the engagement of the slide member 8 with a stop 9' on the guide rod 9. The upper sprocket 13 is fastened on a shaft 14 while the lower sprocket is fastened on a shaft 15. The upper shaft 14 is journalled in an upper support bracket 16 fastened to the upper end of the guide rods 9, 10 while the lower shaft is journalled in the frame 11. The upper shaft 14 is oscillated back and forth, in proper time relation with the operation of the other moving parts of the feeding mechanism and with the turret of the stem-making machine, by suitable actuating means (not shown) such as by a crank motion drive operated from the main cam or drive shaft of the stem-making machine.

As shown in Fig. 1, the conductor storage hopper 1 is supported on the upper arm 17 of a lever 18 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 19 supported on the frame 11. At its bottom end, the hopper 1 is provided with a laterally projecting lip portion 20 (Fig. 2) onto which the leadin conductors 2 move by gravity through the opening in the lower end of the hopper into position for pick-up by the jaws 3, 4. The hopper supporting lever 18 is pivoted, in proper time relation to the reciprocating movement of the jaws 3, 4, to carry the hopper 1 between a lower inoperative position, and a raised operative position to bring the conductors 2 on the lip portion 20 of the hopper upagainst the pick-up jaws 3, 4 when in their lower or conductor pick-up position. Theppivotal movement of the hopper-supporting lever 18 is controlled by a tension coil spring 21 and a cam 22 fastened on the shaft 15 and engaging with a roller 23 mounted on the lower arm 24 of the lever 18. The coil spring 21 is connected at i s opposite ends to the lower arm 24 of the lever 18 and to the frame 11, and the tension of the spring acts to swing the lever 18 and the associated hopper 1 to its upper position as determined by the engagement of a stop 25 on the lever with a portion of the frame 11. The movement of the lever 18 and associatedhopper 1 to their upper operative position occurs at that time during the rotational movement of the cam 22 when the drop portion 26 of the cam comes opposite the roller 23 .on the lever 18.

The shaft 15 and the cam 22 thereon may be oscillated back and forth, to effect the pivotal movement of lever 18 and the raisingand lowering movement of lever 18 and the raising and lowering movement of the hopper 1, by means of the chain 1 2 and the sprocket 13' (Fig. 4) on the shaft 15. During the downward movement of the slide member 8 by the chain12, the slide memberengages a stop 9' on the guide rod 9 to thereby fix the location of the jaws 3 4 in their conductor pick-up position. Following this-engagement of the slide memher 8 with the stop 9',-the-chain .12 continues to move through a limited amount of 'overtraveljpermitted .bythe connection of the chain to the slide member through the spring-loaded rod 8. This limited overtravel of the chain 12 then rotates the shaft 15 (through the sprocket 13' thereon) and the cam 22 so as to position the drop portion 26 thereof opposite the roller 23 on the lever 18, thereby allowing spring 21 to pivot the lever 13 so as to raise the hopper 1 to its elevated or conductor pickup position. On the subsequent return stroke of the chain 12, this limited overtravel of the chain is taken up first in order to rotate the shaft 15 so as to re-engage cam 22 with the roller 23 and swing the lever 18 and the hopper 1 to their lower inoperative position before the slide member 8 and the conductor pick-up jaws 3, 4 begin their upward movement. ln this manner the conductors 2 resting on the lip portion 20 of the hopper 1 are lowered away from the jaws 3, 4 prior to the upward movement thereof so as not to be pushed up or carried along with the jaws on their upward stroke.

instead of effecting the oscillating rotational movement of the shaft 15 and cam 22 by the chain 12 and the sprocket 13 on the said shaft, the said oscillating movement may be eifected by means of a vertically reciprocable actuating rod 27 having a rack portion 28 at its upper end intermeshed with a gear 29 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) fastened on the shaft 15. The sprocket 13 in this form of the invention is not fastened onto the shaft 15 but instead is freely rotatable thereon so as to serve merely as an idler sprocket for the chain 12. The actuating rod 27 is reciprocated up and down in proper time relation with the reciprocating movement of the slide member 8 and associated conductor pick-up jaws 3, 4 so as to elevate the hopper to its upper position when the jaws 3, 4 are in their lower or conductor pick-up position. The vertical reciprocating movement of the actuating rod 27 is imparted thereto by the main drive or cam shaft of the stem-making machine through suitable actuating means (not shown).

During the full extent of the upward travel of the slide member 8 and the jaws 3, 4, the conductor storage hopper 1 is maintained in its lowered or inoperative position by the continued engagement of the high or rise portion 30 of the cam 22 with the roller 23 on the lever 18. As shown in Fig. l, the rise portion 30 of the cam 22 is provided with a series of bumps 31 at spaced points therealong which operate to impart a series of sudden up and down shaking movements to the hopper for the purpose of assisting in the downward movement of the conductors 2 in the hopperonto the lip portion 20 thereof.

In the present instance where the lead-in conductors 2 to be fed are of the pin-end type comprising a small diameter (1)16") lead-in wire portion 32 (Fig. l) and a large diameter (.035") nickel pin portion 33 butt welded together in end-to-end relation, additional means are provided in the form of a permanent magnet 34 mounted on the hopper-carrying lever arm 17 immediately adjacent the lower end of the lip portion 20 of the conductor storage hopper 1 for the purposeof assisting in maintaining the conductors 2 in parailel alignment and preventing them from intertangling on the lip portion 20 of the hopper, thereby insuring the proper operation of the feeding mechanism so as to cause the jaws 3, 4 to pickup the conductors 2 one at a time from the lip portion 20 of the hopper. Because of the required positioning of the pin-type conductors 2 in the inclined hopper 1 in a pin-end down arrangement in order to avoid tangling of the conductors in the hopper, the nickel pin ends 33 of the conductors 2 are attracted to the permanent magnet 34 and thereby held down in position against and extending straight out from (i.e. normal to) the upwardly facing side of the magnet and parallel to the bottom of the hopper lip portion 20. As a result, the small diameter wire portions 32 of the conductors 2 on the hopper lip 20 are held in spaced parallel relationto one another so as not to become intertangled, thereby ns he g ppin Q -t e ire partisan-3. a d th ,of preventing the conductors pick-up of only one of the conductors 2 at a time by the jaws 3, 4. The magnet 34 serves the additional function 2 on the hopper lip 20, other than the one gripped in the jaws 3, 4, from being carried upward and out of the lip 20 of the hopper by the conductor 2 in the jaws 3, 4 during the upward movement of the latter. This is of particular importance in those instances where the pin ends 33 of the con ductors 2 are provided, prior to their placement in the hopper 1, with electron-emissive coatings having a protective lacquer coating thereon which, because of its tacky nature, causes a tendency of the conductors to stick to one another as a result of which one or more of the conductors 2 on the hopper lip 20, other than the one gripped in the jaws 3, 4, would be pulled upward and out of the hopper lip by the conductor in the jaws upon upward movement thereof.

The vertically extending guide tube 6, which is located below and is adapted to receive the conductors 2 released by the delivery chute 5, is funneled down at its lower end to provide a comparatively small diameter lower spout end 35. The guide tube 6 is mounted on a bracket 36 fastened to the vertically reciprocating actuating rod 27 so as to be vertically movable therewith. The actuating rod 27 carries the guide tube 6 between an upper position (Fig. 1) in which it is clear of the work-holding head 7 and the conductors 2 therein so as to permit the intermittent index movement of the turret of the stemmaking machine without obstruction, and a lower operative position (Fig. 3) when the turret is at rest, in which lower position the guide tube 6 receives the conductors 2 released by the delivery chute 5 and guides them into the conductor-receiving pockets or apertures in the workholding head 7. When the guide tube 6 is in its lower position, the lower end of the spout portion 35 thereof is located closely adjacent the upper surface or top 37 of the work-holding head 7, with the passageway of the spout 35 aligned with one of the conductor-receiving pockets or apertures of the head 7 so as to properly guide the conductor 2 into the said pocket. Inasmuch as two lead-in conductors 2 are required for each glow lamp, it should be understood that each head 7 is therefore provided with two conductor-receiving pockets or apertures and that a separate guide tube 6 and separate hoppers 1, jaws 3, 4 and delivery chutes 5 are provided for each of the two conductor-receiving pockets in the head 7. However, for the purposes of clarity, the feed ing mechanism for only one of the two conductors 2 for each head 7 is illustrated in the drawing.

The above description sets forth in a general way the arrangement and operation of the conductor storage hopper 1, conductor pick-up jaws 3, 4, delivery chute 5 and guide tube 6. However, for a more complete description of the operation of these parts of the feeding mechanism, reference may be had to the aforementioned Flaws et al. Patent 2,042,520.

Since the proper operation of the feeding mechanism such as described to feed pin-type conductors 2 requires that the conductors be placed in the storage hopper 1 in a pin-end down position in order to avoid tangling, whereas the conductors 2 in this instance are required to be fed to and positioned in the work-holding heads 7 in a pin-end up position, means 38 are therefore pro vided for inverting the conductors 2 after their release by the pick-up jaws 3, 4 and before insertion in the heads 7. In accordance with the invention, the said inverting means 38 comprises a pivoted chute or funnel 39 interposed between the lower discharge end of the stationary chute 5 and the upper end of the guide tube 6 and arranged to pivot between an upper position in which it catches and holds therein each conductor 2 as it is released from the lower end of the chute 5, and a lower downwardly-tilted position in which the conductor 2 within the pivoted chute 39 slides down out of the chute and is directed thereby into the open upper end of the guide tube 6 which at that instant is in its lowermost operative position so as to then guide the conductor 2 in turn into the correspondin conductor-receiving pocket or aperture in the work-holding head 7.

The pivoted chute 39 comprises a tubular member which is pivotably mounted adjacent one end on a pivot pin 40 fastened on the frame 11 so as to swing in a vertical plane in alignment with the stationary chute 5. The other or conductor-discharging end 41 of the pivoted chute 39 is tapered down or funnel-shaped and is pro vided with a restricted conductor-discharging opening 42 (Fig. 3). The chute 39 is pivoted between an upper or conductor-receiving position (Fig. 1) in which it is inclined slightly upward with its funneled discharge end 41 located above and backwardly of the pivot pin 40 relative to the stationary chute 5, and a lower or conductor-discharging position (Fig. 3) in which it is inclined steeply downward with the opening 42 in its funnel end 41 located directly above the open upper end of the guide tube 6. The pivotal movement of the chute 39 from its upper position to its lower position causes the conductor 2 received within the chute 39 to slide down and out the opening 42 at the discharge end 41 of the chute and into the open upper end of the guide tube 6. The tubular chute 39 is provided with a longitudinally extending conductor-receiving slot or side opening 43 which, when the chute 39 is in its upper position, is located at the upper side of the chute 39 and directly below the lower discharge end of the stationary chute 5 so as to provide a passageway in the side wall of the chute through which the individual conductors 2 pass into the pivoted chute 39 upon their release from the lower end of the stationary chute 5. The tubular chute 39 is closed at its pivoted or back end, as indicated at 44, so as to prevent the individual conductors 2 from sliding or dropping out the said back end of the chute during their passage thereinto.

To prevent the individual conductors 2 from being flung out the discharge end of the chute 38 during its downward pivotal movement to and before arrival at its conductor-discharging position, suitable closure means are provided on the chute 39 in the form of a pivoted door 45 normally closing or blocking the discharge opening 42 of the chute 39. The closure door 45 is pivoted on a pin 46 fastened on the chute 39 so as to swing in a vertical plane, and it is normally maintained in closed position by its own weight. If desired, however, suit able spring means such as a torsion spring 47 may be provided to more positively hold the pivoted door 45 in its closed position. The closure door 45 is provided with an extension or 'arm 48 which, as shown in Fig. 3, engages with the upper end of the guide tube 6, during the last portion of the downward swing movement of the chute 39, to thereby pivot the door to its open position to one side of the discharge opening 42 of the chute 39 so as to allow the conductor 2 within the chute 39 to slide and drop out of the opening 42 into the open upper end of the guide tube.

The chute 39 is pivoted in proper time relation with the other operating parts of the feeding mechanism, and with the index movement of the turret of the stem-making mechanism, so as to be in its upper position when the individual conductors 2 are released by the conductor pick-up jaws 3, 4 into the stationary chute 5, and in its lower downwardly-tilted conductor-discharging position when the guide tube 6 is in its lowered position for receiving the conductors 2 and guiding them into the conductor-receiving pockets of the work-holding head 7. in the particular case shown, the pivotal movement of the chute 39 is effected by the same operating means which reciprocates the guide tube 6. To this end, the chute 39 is connected by a link 49 to an arm 50 extending from the bracket 36 on which the guide tube 6 is mounted. The up and down movements of the bracket 36 by the actuating rod 27 to which it is connected thus.

7 serves both to raise and lower the guide tube 6 and to pivotthe chute 39.

In the operation of the conductor feeding mechanism comprising my invention, the conductor pick-up jaws 3, 4 are first carried to their lower or conductor pick-up position by the downward sliding movement of the slide member 8 on the guide rods 9 and 10 brought about by the rotation of the shaft 14 and associated sprocket 13 and the resultant movement of the chain 12. The conductor storage hopper 1 which, during the downward movement of the jaws 3, 4 to their conductor pick-up position is in its lowered inoperative position, is now swung upwardly to its upper or operative position to bring the conductors Z resting on the lip portion 20 of the hopper 1 up against the pick-up jaws 3, 4, the upward swinging movement of the hopper 1 being effected by the pivotal movement of the hopper supporting lever 18 by the spring 21 which pivotal movement is brought about by the rotation of the cam 22 so as to disengage from the roller 23 on the lever 18. The conductorpick-up jaws 3, 4 are then operated or closed to pick up one of the conductors 2 on the lip por tion 20 of the hopper 1, after which the jaws 3, 4- are returned to their upper or conductor-releasing position by the slide member 8 through the operation of the shaft 14, sprocket 13 and chain 12. The jaws 3, 4 are then opened to release the conductor 2 into the stationary chute 5. The released conductor 2 then slides down the chute into the pivoted chute 39 through the side opening 43 therein, the pivoted chute being at this instant in its upper or conductor-receiving position as shown in Fig. 1. The pivoted chute 39 with the conductor 2 located therein is now swung down to its conductor-discharging position (Fig. 3), and the guide tube 6 simultaneously lowered to its conductor-receiving position, by the downward movement of the actuating rod 27 and the bracket 36, arm 50 and link 49. During the last portion of the downward swinging movement of the chute 39, the extension 48 on the closure door 45 engages the upper end of the guide tube 6 to thereby pivot the door to its open position so as to allow the conductor 2 within the chute 39 to slide and drop out the opening 42 at the lower end of the chute into the upper end of the guide tube 6 which then directs the conductor 2 into the conductor-receiving pocket or aperture in the work-holding head 7 of the stem-making machine. After the conductor 2 has been guided into the conductor-receiving pocket in the head 7, the guide tube 6 and the pivoted chute 39 are returned to their upper positions and the turret of the stem-making machine then indexed to bring the next work-holding head in position beneath the guide tube 6 in readiness for receiving a conductor 2 during the next conductor-feeding cycle of the feeding mechanism.

Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been disclosed, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction and arrange-merit of parts shown but that they may be widely modified within the spirit'and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims. Thus, while I have illustrated conductor pick-up means in the form of jaws 3, 4 which are closed and opened to grasp and release the corn ductors 2, any other suitable conductor pick-up means may be employed instead such as, for example, a vacuum type conductor pick-up means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Wire feeding apparatus comprising a stationary disha g h e, me n f r fe ing individual lengths of. wire into the said chute, an upright guide tube disposed below the said chute for guiding the wire length into a wireholding means, and inverting means disposed between the lower discharge end of said chute and the open upper end of said guide tube for receiving the wire length released from said chute and discharging it into said guide tube in an inverted position, said inverting means comprising a pivoted chute mounted for vertical pivotal movement between an upper position directly underneath the discharge end of said stationary chute to receive and hold the wire length discharged from the stationary chute, and a lower downwardly-tilted position with the lower discharge end of the pivoted chute closely adjacent and directly over the open upper end of said guide tube to discharge the wire length thereinto, and movable closure means on said pivoted chute normally maintained in a closed position covering the discharge opening thereof and engageable with said guide tube, when said pivoted chute is swung to its said downwardly-tilted position, to open said closure means so as to uncover the discharge opening of the pivoted chute.

2. Wire feeding apparatus comprising a stationary discharge chutc, means for feeding individual lengths of wire into the said chute, an upright guide tube disposed below the said chute for guiding the wire length into a wireholding means, and inverting means disposed between the lower discharge end of said chute and the open upper end of said guide tube for receiving the wire length released from said chute and discharging it into said guide tube in an inverted position, said inverting means comprising a pivoted chute mounted for vertical pivotal movement between an upper position directly underneath the discharge end of said stationary chute to receive and hold the wire length discharged from the stationary chute, and a lower downwardly-tilted position with the lower discharge end of the pivoted chute closely adjacent and directly over the open upper end of said guide tube to discharge the wire length thereinto, and closure door means pivotally mounted on said pivoted chute and normally maintained in a closed position covering the discharge opening thereof, said closure door means having an operating arm engageable with said guide tube, when said pivoted chute is swung to its said downwardly-tilted position, to open said closure door means so as to uncover the discharge opening of the pivoted chute.

3. Wire feeding apparatus comprising a stationary discharge chute, means for feeding individual lengths of wire into the said chute, an upright vertically reciprocable guide tube disposed below the chute for guiding the wire length into a wire-holding means, actuating means for vertically reciprocating said guide tube between an upper inoperative position and a lower operative position for guiding the wire length into said wire-holding means, and inverting means disposed between the lower discharge end of said chute and the open upper end of said guide tube and overlying the latter, said, inverting means comprising a movable chute mounted for movement between an upwardly-tilted wire-receiving upper position, clear of the upper end of the guide tube when in its upper position, and a downwardly-tilted wire-discharging lower position in which the discharge end of the movable chute is located immediately above and closely adjacent the open upper end of the guide tube, when in its lower position, for directing the wire length thereinto in a position inverted from the position in which it is released from the said stationary chute, said actuating means being operatively connected to said inverting means so as to effect simultaneous movement of said guide tube and inverting means first to their said upper positions and thence to their said lower positions.

4. Apparatus for feeding pin-end type lead-in conductors into a holder in pin-end-up position therein comprising a stationary discharge chute, means for feeding individual conductorsin pin-end-down position into the said chute, an upright vertically reciprooable guide tube disposed below the chute for guiding the conductor into the said conductor holder, said guide tube being vertically movable between an upper inoperative position and a lower operative position for guiding the conductor into said conductorv holder, conductor-inverting means comprising a vertically pivoted chute mounted between the lower discharge end of said stationary chute and the open 9 upper end of said guide tube and pivoted at one end to swing in a vertical plane between an upwardly-inclined upper position, clear of the upper end of the guide tube when in its said upper position, and a downwardly-inclined conductor-discharging lower position in which the 5 discharge end of the pivoted chute is located immediately above and closely adjacent the open upper end of the guide tube, when in its said lower position, for discharging and directing the conductor thereinto in an inverted pin-end-up position, and common actuating means connected to said pivoted chute and to said guide tube and operated in proper time relation with said conductor feeding means for simultaneously elevating the pivoted chute and the guide tube to thelr said upper positions and then lowering them to their said lower positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Flaws et al June 2, 1936 

